Upward acting door and removable mullion therefor



March-10 1942. E. 5.17 I 23,275,729

. UPWARD ACTING DOOR 'ANDI'IREMOVABLE MULLION "TIIEREFOR v Filed Jan. 15,. 1939 j' 3Sheets-Sheei 1 March 10, 1942. ;J. IETICASSE UPWARD ACTING DOOR AND REMOVABLE MULLION THEREFOR Filed Jan. 13, 1939 s sheets-Sheet 2 v V Ur JOSEPH 5. 0188.5

- Mmh'w, 1942. J. E. CASS E UPWARD ACTING DOOR REMOVABLE MULLION THEREFOR Filed Jan. 13, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 in q Patented Mar. 10, I942 UETE star UPW'ARD ACTDIG DOORAND REMOVABLE MULLION THEREFOR Joseph E. Casse, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Crawford Door Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application January 13, 1939, Serial No. 250,688

13 Claims.

This invention relates to a removable mullion or stile between adjoining closures for an opening such as a doorway and includes an upward acting door construction having adjoining doors in the doorway guided by a vertical mullion or stile which is adapted to be removed from the doorway when the doors are in open position to provide an unobstructed opening.

It is frequently desirable to close wide doorways with independent upward acting adjoining closures to avoid use of very large and heavy doors and to make possible an opening of only part of the doorway. This requires doors or closures which extend only partly across the width of the doorway. Such doors or closures must be guided or supported along their adjoining edge portions by means of a stationary vertical mullion, post or stile. These supports or guides, however, are objectionable since they obstruct the doorway when two adjoining closures are open and prevent passage of wide bodies through the doorway.

This invention now provides the required guide or support, hereinafter referred to as a mullion, in a removable form so that the same can be taken out of the doorway when adjoining closures are in open position,

While the invention will hereinafter be specifically described in connection with a pair of adjoining upward acting garage doors, it should be understood that the invention is adapted for use with other types of closures.

According to the invention disclosed on the drawings a pair of upward acting sectional type garage doors are mounted for vertical and horizontal movement in tracks supporting and guiding rollers extending from the sides of the doors. A metal mullion is removably mounted in vertical position between the doors and extends from the lintel of the doorway to the floor or sill. This mullion is preferably formed by extrusion of an aluminum alloy and is so shaped as to define tracks or guides on both sides thereof for the rollers projecting from the adjoining sides of the doors. The mullion carries resilient weatherstrips adapted to spring against the outer faces of the doors when the same are in closed position to seal any spaces between the doors and the mullion.

The bottom of the mullion is removably mounted in a fixed floor plate while the top of the mullion is readily latched into aligned position with the fixed tracks of the assembly.

A feature of the invention includes a safety lock, automatically operated by the insertion and removal of the mullion so as to prevent the doors from being moved down when the mullion is removed.

It is then an object of this invention to provide a removable mullion for adjoining closures.

'Another object of the invention is to provide an upward acting door construction including a plurality of adjoining doors having their adjacent sides guided and supported by a removable mullion.

A further object of the invention is to provide an upward acting door construction having a pair of adjoining doors guided along their adjacent edges in tracks adapted to be readily re moved when the doors are in open position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an extruded aluminum alloy removable mullion for closures.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety lock automatically operated by a removable mullion in an upward acting door construction for preventing closing of the doors when the mullion is removed.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a removable mullion for upward acting doors adapted to be quickly and easily latched into operative position for guiding and supporting the adjacent edges of a pair of doors as the doors are moved to a closed position.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the annexed sheets of drawings which disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a doorway viewed from the inside thereof and having doors, according to this invention, mounted therein in closed position.

Figure 2 is a broken, fragmentary View similar to Figure 1 but illustrating the doors in opened position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged broken Vertical cross sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken along the line III-III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal cross sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 1.

Figure '5 is an enlarged horizontal cross sectional view, with parts omitted, taken along the line VV of Figure 1.

Figure .6 is an enlarged fragmentary eleva tional view taken along the line VIVI of Figure 3.

Figure "7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken along the line Vl'l-Vl1 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken along the line VIIIVIII of Figure 7.

Figure 9. is an enlarged, broken, elevational View of a removable mullion according to this invention.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of the mullion shown in Figure 9.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figures 1 and 2, the reference numeral l6 designates a doorway defined by side door jambs II and I2, by a lintel l3 extending between the.

tops of the door jambs and by a floor |4 extending between the bottoms of the door jambs.

A roof or ceiling |3a extends inwardly from the doorway ID at a level above the bottom of the lintel l3. e a

The doorway I is closed by a pair of doors A and B, mounted on rollers for horizontal movement below the ceiling or roof |3a and for vertical movement into the doorway. The doors A and Bare of the horizontal sectional type with the door A composed of hinged-together sections a, a a a and a and the door B composed of hinged-together sections 1), b 12 b and IT.

A vertical track I5 is secured to each side jamb and I2 with the open faces of'the tracks facing the doorway l0. Curved track sections I6 communicate with the tops of the track l5 and with horizontal tracks l1 extending inwardly from the doorway. The curved tracks l6 and the adjoining ends of the horizontal tracks l1 are supported from metal brackets I8 secured to the lintel 3. These brackets l8 also rotatably support pulleys l9.

A floor bracket 28 is fixedly mounted on the floor M in the center of the doorway l6. As best shown in Figure 5, the bracket 20 has a wide heel portion 26a, a base 2% extending forwardly therefrom and toe portions 260 defining curved sockets facing the heel portion.

A vertical mullion 2 (Figure 1) has the bottom end thereof mounted in the floor bracket 26. The mullion 2| as best shown in Figures 3 and 4 provides vertical tracks 22 and 23 on each side thereof.

As shown in Figures 3, 4, 9 and 10 the mullion 2| has a web portion 2|a extending between the tracks 22 and 23 and a transverse outer wall or flange 2|b. The bottom end of this transverse wall 2|b abuts the heel 2|Ja of the floor bracket 23 while the tracks 22 and '23 abut the curved sockets provided by the toes 200 of the bracket 26 as shown in Figure 5. Legs H0 and 2|d extend from opposite sides of the web 2|a between the back wall 21b and the tracks .22 and 23. These legs cooperate with the tracks to hold the door rollers therein as best shown in Figure 4.

As shown in Figures 1, 2' and 3, angle plates 24 are secured to the inner face of the-lintel |3 above the floor bracket 20. These angle plates 24 have inwardly extending flanges 25 in abutting relation, each carrying a curved track section 26 and 21. The curved track 26 communicates with the track 22 of the mullion 2| while the curved track 21 communicates with the track 23 of the mullion 2|.

Horizontal tracks 28 and 29 extend inwardly from the upper ends of the curved track sections 26 and 21 respectively.

As best shown in Figure 3, the inner ends of the horizontal tracks, such as theinner end of the track 28, are carried on a transverse support 36 suspended from the ceiling or roof |3a. This transverse support 36 extends across the entire width of the doorway so as to also carry the inner ends of the horizontal tracks I1. ancing spring actuated pulleys such as 3| are rotatably mounted in the support 36 in alignment with the pulleys l3 and with pulleys 32 and 33 rotatably carried by the flanges 26 of the angle plates 24. Separate cables such as 34 are adapted to be wound around the spring actuated pulleys such as 3|, are trained over the pulleys I9, 32' and 33 aligned with the actuated pulleys and are secured at their other ends to the bottom door sections a and b.

As best shown in Figures 3, '7 and 8, the top of the-mullion 2| fits under the lower ends of the curved tracks 26 and 21. A bracket 35 is bolted to the bottom of the lintel l3 to abut the top portion of the back wall 2|b of the mullion as also shown in Figure 4.

The web 21a of the mullion 2| has a U-shaped plate 36 extending above the top thereof. Legs 31 of the plate fit over the sides of the web and are riveted thereto by rivets 3B.

The plate 36 extends above the top of the mullion between the legs 2 lo and 2 Id and the tracks 22 and 23 thereof and is adapted to slide between the end portions of the adjoining curved track sections 26 and 21 which extend beneath the flanges 25 of the angle plates 24. These flanges 25 space the track ends to define a slot therebetween for receiving the'portion of the plate 36 above the mullion.

A housing 46 for a spring-pressed latch bolt 4| is bolted to a plate 42 carried by the tracks 22 and 23 of the mullion 2| at the top ends of the tracks. The plate 42 can be secured to the tracks as by welding.

As best shown in Figures 3, '1 and 8, the bottoms of the flanges 25 of the angle plates 24 have a tooth defining portion 43 extending downwardly from their inner bottom edges and provided with inwardly sloping edge portions 43a. The tooth forms an abutment for the top of the latch bolt 4| to retain the mullion in seated position against the bracket 35 sothat the mullion tracks will be in alignment with the curved track sections 26 and 21. The plate 36 holds the mullion against sidewise movement since it is snugly received between the curved track sections.

The latch bolt 4| has an actuating chain 44 projecting from the bottom of the housing 40 as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 9 so that the bolt can be retracted into the housing beneath the tooth to permit an inward tilting of the mullion out of position for removing the same from the doorway.

The mullion is readily inserted into-operative position in the doorway by first seating the bottom end thereof into the floor bracket 26 with the tracks 22 and 23 thereof abutting the toes of the floor bracket. The top of the mullion is then swung toward the doorway to position the plate 36 between the curved tracks. The sloping edge 43a of the tooth defining portions 43- will automatically retract the latch bolt 4| so that it will pass under the tooth 43 and will then snap into abutting relation against the other edge of the tooth. The latch bolt will thus hold the top end of the mullion against the bracket 35 and will prevent unintentional removal of the mullion.

The top end of the mullion slopes downwardly from the tracks 22 and 23 thereof as shown in Counterbal- Figure 3 in order to facilitate a tilting of the mul lion into operative position.

The flanges 25 of the angle plates 24 receive a bolt 58 therethrough as best shown in Figures 3, '7 and 8. The bolt 50 rotatably supports latch members 5| and 52 in alignment with the tracks 26 and 2'! respectively. Each latch member 5| and 52 has a hook-like top portion 53 adapted to project into a slot 54 cut in each track 26 and 21. Each latch 5! and 52 also has a downwardly projecting'tail portion 55 adapted to be abutted by the plate 42 of the mullion 2|.

A spring 55 urges the top portions of both latch members 5! and 52 so that their hook-like ends 53 will extend through the slots 5 3. The action of the spring, however, is opposed by the plate 42 on the mullion 2! when the mullion is mounted into operating position as shown in Figures 3, 7 and 8. As therein shown the plate 42 abuts the tails 55 of the latches to retract the hook portions 53 from the slots. Whenever the mullion is removed from its operating position these tail portions 55 are released and the spring will move the latches to seat their hook-like ends into the track slots. When seated, these hook-like ends 53 will prevent a closing ofthe doors A and B, since they will obstruct the passage of the door rollers in the track sections 26 and 21.

This arrangement therefore provides an automatic safety look preventing a closing of the door when the mullion is removed from the doorway. The safety locks are automatically unlatched when the mullion is mounted in operating position.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3 the door sections of the door A are hinged together by means of hinges 69 secured to the inner faces of adjacent door sections at the edges of the door sections. The sections of the door B are similarly hinged together by means of hinges 6 I.

Each hinge 60 and 6| can have the pivot pin 62 therefor carry a roller 63 mounted for movement in the tracks as shown in Figure 3.

The top door section a carries an additional set of rollers 64 on axles 65 mounted at the top of the door section along the edges thereof as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The top door section b of the door B carries similar rollers and axles.

When the mullion 21 is mounted in operative position as shown in Figures 1 and 3, the doors A and B can be operated along the vertical, curved, and horizontal tracks to move the door sections between a closed vertical position and an overhead open horizontal position. However, when the mullion is removed as shown in Figure 2, the doors A and B must be in open overhead position since the rollers 63 of the doors in closed position will prevent removal of the mullion. With the doors in their opened overhead position, the mullion can be readily removed as described above. The safety latches or looks then prevent the doors from being closed beyond the position shown in Figure 2 so that the doors can not fall out of their guiding and supporting tracks.

As best shown in Figures 4, 5 and 9 the transverse wall 2!?) of the mullion 2| has longitudinal grooves 76 formed along the inner face thereof near the outer ends of the wall. Resilient metal weather strips H are adapted to be snapped into these grooves HI along the full length of the mullion. The weatherstrips II have free end "portions 12 projecting inwardly from the wall Rib into abutting relation with the outer faces of the doors A and B as shown in Figure 4 for 3 sealing any spaces between the outsides of the doors and themullion. The doors can readily slide relative to the weatherstrips since the strips are resilient and do not interfere with an opening and closing of the doors.

From the above descriptions it should be understood that the mullion constructions of this invention provide many desired advantages in door constructions and present required supports and guides for adjoining upward acting doors. At the same time the mullions of this invention act as seals between adjoining doors or closures.

The mullions can be made of light-weight material such as aluminum alloy and can be produced. at reasonable cost by an extruding process. Heat-treated extruded aluminum alloy mullions having tensile strengths. of 30,000 pounds per square inch are very satisfactory.

' I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a construction having a doorway, a pair of adjacent track sections extending downwardly to the top of the doorway, a floor bracket anchored in the bottom of said doorway beneath the track sections, a removable mullion adapted to be seated in said bracket, means projecting from the top of said mullion adapted to snugly fit between said track sections and latching means for holding the mullion in operative position to extend between the track sections and the bracket.

2. In a door construction including a pair of closures for closing a doorway, the improvement which comprises a pair of fixed tracks extending to the top of the doorway in spaced adjoining relation, a socket floor plate in said doorway beneath the fixed-tracks, a completely detachable mullion defining tracks adapted to cooperate with the fixed tracks for extending the latter tothe bottom of the doorway, said mullion having a bottom portion-complemental in shape with and adapted to be seated in said floor plate, and an extension on the top of said mullion adapted to project between said fixed tracks for holding the mullion in alignment with the tracks whereby said mullion can be seated in said floor plate and tilted normally to the doorway into and out of the doorway.

3. In a building having a doorway defined by a lintel, side jambs and a floor, a bracket secured on said lintel having a flange extending into the building, a track carried by said flange and extending downwardly into the top of the doorway, a removable mullion extending between the floor and the bottom end of said track, means extending from said mullion engageable with the flange carried track to prevent tilting motion of the mullion away from said track in a plane parallel with the door in closed position, said mullion having a track thereon cooperating with the first mentioned track, a projection on the bottom of said flange defining an abutment normal to the faces of the flange, and a spring pressed latch bolt carried by the top of said mullion adapted to abut said abutment for preventing tilting of the mullion away from the flange carried track in a plane normal to the door in closed position whereby said mullion is held in position in the doorway, said bolt also adapted to be retracted.

from said abutment to allow the mullion to be swung into the building for removal from the doorway.

4. In an upward acting door construction for a doorway including a pair of spaced adjacent closures for movement into and out of said doorway, the improvement which comprises a single mullion latching device, a removable mullion adapted to be seated on the bottom of the doorway and tilted normally to the doorway into and out of the doorway by manipulation of said single latching device, a pair of fixed tracks extending downwardly to the top of the doorway in spaced adjoining relation, an extension on the top of said mullion adapted to snugly fit between said tracks, and a keeper parallel with the doorway for said latching device.

5. In an upward acting door construction for a doorway including a pair of spaced adjacent closures for movement into and out of said doorway, the improvement which comprises a mullion latching device, a removable mullion adapted-to be seated on the bottom of the doorway and adapted to be tilted normally to the doorway into and out of the doorway, a fixed track construction at the top of the doorway, means on the top of said mullion engageable with said track construction, and a keeper having a surface parallel with the doorway for retaining said latching device, said latching device being operable to clear the keeper for releasing the mullion from fixed position in the doorway.

6. In a vertically sliding door construction including a pair of laterally spaced, vertically acting doors adapted to be actuated to and from closing position relative to a door opening, a removable post adapted to be positioned in said door opening between said doors and having a pair of opposed tracks for guidingly receiving rollers on the doors, a pair of horizontal stationmy tracks in fixed relation to the door opening adapted to be placed in communication with said post tracks and to receive the doors in withdrawn position thereof, means for laterally supporting said post tracks in operative position comprising laterally spaced retaining means in fixed relation to said stationary tracks, said post having means engageable with said retaining means, securing means on the post adjacent the top thereof, and

a coacting element in fixed relation to the door opening and releasably engageable by said securing means to maintain said post in operative front-to-rear position, said post being swingable in a direction normal to the opening upon release of said last named means to remove the post p v in its entirety from the opening, and means at the bottom of the opening for restraining the post at its base.

7. In an upward-acting door construction for a doorway including a pair of spaced adjacent closures mounted for movement into and out of said doorway, the improvements which comprise a pair of spaced opposed fixed tracks for the doors extending to the top of the doorway, retaining means at the bottom of the doorway below said fixed tracks, a mullion adapted to be positioned in the doorway between the doors to extend from the fixed tracks to the retaining means and adapted to be removed in its entirety from the doorway, said mullion having means on the top thereof insertable between the spaced opposed tracks to hold the mullion against movement in planes parallel with the doorway, a keeper at the top of the doorway, means on said mullion releasably engageable with the keeper to hold the top of the mullion against movement in planes normal to the doorway, and said retain ing means at the bottom of the doorway releasably holding the bottom of the mullion against movement whereby said mullion can be swung normally to the doorway into and out of operative position.

8. In an upward-acting door construction for a doorway including a pair of spaced adjacent closures for movement into and out of said doorway, the improvement which comprises a mullion latching device, a removable mullion adapted to be seated on the bottom of the doorway and adapted to be tilted normally to the doorway into and out of the doorway, a fixed track construction at the top of the doorway, means on the top of said mullion engageable with said track construction, and a keeper for retaining said latching device, said latching device being operable to clear the keeper for releasing the mullion from fixed position in the doorway.

9. In an upward-acting door construction for a doorway including a pair of spaced adjacent closures mounted for movement into and out of said doorway, the improvements which comprise a removable post adapted to be disposed in the doorway between said closures for swinging removal in its entirety from the doorway, a fixed header mounted at the top of the doorway having a keeper associated therewith between said closures, means on said post adjacent the top thereof for releasable retaining engagement with said keeper to hold the post in operative position in the plane of removal thereof, a pair of laterally spaced tracks in fixed relation to said header, said post having means thereon engageable with said fixed tracks for laterally supporting the post, and positioning means disposed at the bottom of the doorway between the closures for retaining the bottom of the post to prevent displacement thereof at that point.

10. In a vertically slidable door structure including a pair of laterally spaced vertically slidable doors, a removable post adapted to be disposed in the door openings between said doors for swinging removal in its entirety from the door opening in a direction normal to the plane of the opening, a fixed header at the top of the door opening having a keeper associated therewith. latch means on said post releasably engaging the keeper to hold the post in operative position in the plane of removal thereof, a pair of laterally spaced tracks in fixed relation to said header, said post having means thereon engageable with said fixed tracks for laterally supporting the post, and positioning means disposed at the bottom of the door opening for retaining the base of said post to prevent displacement of the post at that point.

11. In a vertically sliding door structure including a pair of laterally spaced vertically sliding doors, a removable post adapted to be disposed in the door opening between the doors for swinging removal in a direction normal to the plane of the opening, a fixed header at the top of the door opening having a keeper associated therewith, means on said post for releasable retaining engagement with said keeper to hold the top of the post in operative position in the plane of removal thereof, lateral positioning means secured to said header at a point above the top of the post in operative position thereof, means on said post engageable with said lateral positioning means for laterally supporting the post, and positioning means disposed at the bottom of the door opening between the doors for preventing displacement of the post at that point.

12. In a vertically slidable door construction including a pair of laterally spaced articulated vertically slidable doors, a removable post adapted to be disposed in the door opening between said doors for swinging removal in its entirety from the door opening in a direction normal to the plane thereof, said post having opposed vertically extending tracks on the sides thereof, a fixed header at the top of the door opening having a keeper, means on said post adjacent the top thereof for releasable retaining engagement with said keeper to hold the top of the post in operative position in the plane of its removal, a pair of laterally spaced tracks in fixed relation to said header adapted to register vertically and communicate with said post tracks, said post including means engageable with said fixed tracks for laterally registering and supporting the post, and further means at the bottom of said door opening for releasably retaining the base of the post to prevent movement of the post at that point.

13. In a vertically slidable door construction including a pair of laterally spaced vertically acting doors adapted to be actuated to and from closing position relative to a doorway, a removable post adapted to be positioned in said doorway between said doors and having a pair of opposed tracks for guidingly receiving rollers on the door, a pair of horizontal tracks in fixed relation to said doorway having curved portions extending downwardly and opening to the top of the doorway, said portions being adapted to communicate with said post tracks, means on said post engageable with said curved portions for laterally spacing and stabilizing the post, post restraining means in fixed relation to said door- Way, means on the post adjacent the top thereof for releasable engagement with said fixed means to maintain the top of the post in operative front to rear position, and retaining means at the bottom of the doorway releasably holding the bottom of the post' whereby said post is swingable in a front to rear direction normal to the plane 'of the doorway upon release of one of said retaining means to permit removal of the post in its entirety from the doorway.

JOSEPH E. CASSE. 

